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Gina Regan
Okay, that’s a lie. I have a lot of time, but I never seem to get anything done. I have a lifetime’s worth of things I want to do, feel like I should do, wish I knew how to do…
But lists go unchecked, to-do’s remain looming on my notepad, and I curl up tighter and tighter into a tiny knot on the couch because I feel so far behind. And by many people’s standards, I have it easy. I have no children, no pets, and only a small condo to maintain. Where does my time go???
Well, a solid nine hours every day goes to my full-time employment, and another eight hours to sleeping, neither of which I’m able or willing to give up. Now, I’m no mathematician, but if there are 24 hours in a day, and 17 of those hours go towards working and sleeping, that should still leave me with a solid seven hours of spare time.
Seven hours.
To be productive, to do things I love, to learn and grow and connect with people.
Seven hours to clean my condo (merh). Seven hours to write to my heart’s content. Seven hours to get together with my friends, or go on a date with my husband.
That sounds like a hell of a lot more fun than what I usually do with those seven hours (watch TV, pretend I’m cleaning by putting my shoes away, make lists that I never follow through on, contemplate going to the bank before deciding not to go).
Here are seven things to which I’m going to start dedicating my seven spare hours:
1. Write: August and September 2015 may have been/are my busiest months in a long time. Despite the traveling for weddings, work and vacation, I need to make sure writing remains a top priority. I struggled with this a lot over the last two weeks, but I’m attempting to get back on track. Thus, writing takes the #1 spot. Congratulations, writing.
2. Read: I should be reading for at least an hour a day. This is a no-brainer, yet surprisingly hard to sit down and do on a regular basis.
3. Mundane Tasks: It’s not all fun and games at Casa Regan. Sometimes the sink needs to be cleaned out, the dishes need to be put away, and laundry needs to be folded (which reminds me that I’m dangerously low on clean underwear. Laundry hour, you’re up!)
4. Fun & Games! I like having fun. This is my leisure time after all. I should be able to find the time to play practical jokes on people, or enjoy a guilt-free round of Candy Crush on my phone. Or yes, even watch TV for an hour (or two… that’s okay, right?).
5. Exercise: Another no-brainer. Exercise makes everything better, and there’s no excuse for not doing it regularly.
6. Hang Out With Friends & Family: Friends and family also have a way of making everything better, and I’m embarrassed that I don’t make this more of a priority. Everyone needs their network, and I am going to work on being more attentive to mine.
7. Showering? I realized that I neglected this tiny part of my daily routine in my original estimation above (oops). It takes me approximately one hour to get ready for and drive to work in the morning, so technically I guess I only have six spare hours, assuming showering is mandatory… which it’s totally not! Free hour to do whatever I want!!!! Wooohooooo!!!!!!
Okay, I’m not saying that I’m going to do all seven of these things every day (especially #7, obvi), but I am going to make more of a conscious effort to prioritize these above the less fulfilling activities in my life (I’m looking at you, browsing Facebook until my eyes bleed).
The clock’s ticking—what are you going to do with your seven hours?
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Gina Regan
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